Lexical Summary
mechittah: Terror, destruction, dismay
Original Word:מְחִתָּה
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:mchittah
Pronunciation:mekh-it-taw'
Phonetic Spelling:(mekh-it-taw')
KJV: destruction, dismaying, ruin, terror
NASB:ruin, terror, object of terror
Word Origin:[fromH2846 (חָתָה - take)]
1. (properly) a dissolution
2. (concretely) a ruin
3. (abstractly) consternation
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
destruction, dismaying, ruin, terror
Fromchathah; properly, a dissolution; concretely, a ruin, or (abstractly) consternation -- destruction, dismaying, ruin, terror.
see HEBREWchathah
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
chathathDefinitionterror, destruction, ruin
NASB Translationobject of terror (1), ruin (7), terror (3).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
, in poetry (especially Proverbs) — absolute
Proverbs 10:14 8t.; construct
Proverbs 10:15;
Proverbs 14:28; —
terror,Isaiah 54:14 ("" ),Jeremiah 17:17; = object of terror,Jeremiah 48:39 ("" ).
dismay,Proverbs 21:15 (opposed to ).
ruin, of strongholdsPsalm 89:41;Proverbs 14:28without people is ruin to a prince (opposed to );Proverbs 10:15the ruin of the poor (is)their poverty; as consequence of evil-doingProverbs 10:29 (opposed to ); of foolsProverbs 18:7, compareProverbs 13:3 (opposed to );Proverbs 10:14the mouth of a fool is imminent ruin.
, see above
Topical Lexicon
OverviewMekhittah designates catastrophic collapse or paralysing dread, whether experienced by an individual, a city, or an entire nation. The term appears eleven times and is variously translated in the Berean Standard Bible as “destruction,” “ruin,” “terror,” “rubble,” and “horror.” Each occurrence underscores the moral certainty that rebellion, folly, and injustice ultimately bring their own downfall, whereas righteousness is a sure refuge.
Wisdom Literature: Moral Cause and Effect
Seven of the eleven occurrences fall within Proverbs, where Mekhittah functions as the inevitable outcome of foolishness.
• Speech (Proverbs 10:14; 13:3; 18:7) – “Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of the fool invites destruction” (Proverbs 10:14). Words that disregard truth and restraint set in motion ruin that rebounds on the speaker himself.
• Security (Proverbs 10:15; 10:29; 14:28) – Material wealth, righteous living, and a populous realm all appear strong, yet each proves fragile apart from the fear of the LORD. “The way of the LORD is a refuge to the upright, but destruction awaits those who do evil” (Proverbs 10:29).
• Justice (Proverbs 21:15) – “Justice executed is a joy to the righteous, but a terror to the workers of iniquity.” When godly order is enforced, Mekhittah falls on evildoers while the upright rejoice.
In every case, the proverbist shows that destructive consequences are woven into the fabric of God’s moral universe; sinners need no external invader, for their own conduct ushers in ruin.
Royal Lament inPsalm 89
“You have broken down all his walls; You have reduced his strongholds to rubble” (Psalm 89:40). Mekhittah here pictures the shattering of Davidic fortifications during divine chastisement. The word amplifies the psalm’s tension between God’s eternal covenant with David and the temporary ruin brought by corporate disobedience. The lament anticipates a restoration in which the same God who levels strongholds will rebuild them.
Prophetic Warnings and Promises
Jeremiah employs Mekhittah twice. The prophet pleads, “Do not become a terror to me; You are my refuge in the day of disaster” (Jeremiah 17:17), revealing the believer’s paradoxical dependence on the very God who sends judgment. Later he foretells Moab’s downfall: “Moab will become a derision and a terror to all around him” (Jeremiah 48:39), affirming that nations scoffing at God’s purposes cannot escape ruin.
Isaiah reverses the motif for Zion’s future: “In righteousness you will be established… for terror will be far removed; it will not come near you” (Isaiah 54:14). Covenant faithfulness expels Mekhittah and secures abiding peace, a promise reaching its fullest realization in the Messianic kingdom.
Theological Themes
1. Retributive Justice – Mekhittah is never random; it flows from divine holiness that rewards good and punishes evil.
2. The Power of the Tongue – Unbridled speech becomes a personal demolition crew.
3. Refuge in God – For the faithful, God Himself stands between them and terror.
4. National Accountability – Cities and kingdoms fall into rubble when collective sin persists.
5. Eschatological Hope – Ultimate redemption involves the complete removal of every terror for the people of God.
Practical Ministry Applications
• Preaching and Teaching – Use the recurring link between folly and ruin to press home repentance and the cultivation of godly speech.
• Counseling – Remind believers that fear of impending disaster dissipates when lives are anchored in righteousness (Isaiah 54:14).
• Social Engagement – Advocate for just policies, knowing that true justice discourages evildoers and blesses society (Proverbs 21:15).
• Missions – Warn unbelievers of looming ruin while offering refuge in Christ, the one who bore destruction on the cross to grant eternal security.
Related Biblical Connections
Mekhittah aligns with New Testament warnings such as “sudden destruction” in1 Thessalonians 5:3 and with promises likeRevelation 21:4, where every cause of dread is banished. The word thereby contributes to the unified biblical witness that sin breeds terror, but redemption in the Lord brings unshakable peace.
Forms and Transliterations
וְלִמְחִתָּ֖ה וּ֝מְחִתָּ֗ה וּמִ֨מְּחִתָּ֔ה ולמחתה ומחתה וממחתה לִמְחִתָּ֑ה למחתה מְחִתַּ֖ת מְחִתַּ֥ת מְחִתָּ֥ה מְחִתָּה־ מְחִתָּה׃ מחתה מחתה־ מחתת lim·ḥit·tāh limchitTah limḥittāh mə·ḥit·tāh mə·ḥit·tāh- mə·ḥit·taṯ mechittah mechitTat məḥittāh məḥittāh- məḥittaṯ ū·mə·ḥit·tāh ū·mim·mə·ḥit·tāh umechitTah ūməḥittāh uMimechitTah ūmimməḥittāh velimchitTah wə·lim·ḥit·tāh wəlimḥittāh
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